


Of Ruins and Soldiers

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Drama, Episode: s01e11 Bloodlines, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-11
Updated: 2008-06-11
Packaged: 2018-12-17 17:05:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11855949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: Daniel wonders if he did the right thing when he destroyed the tank of larval Goa'uld





	Of Ruins and Soldiers

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

**_Daniel turns and aims Sam’s P-90 gun at the tank_ **

**SAM: Daniel? What are you thinking?**

**DANIEL: Just that every single one of these infant Goa'uld's will one day take a human life. And all I have to do is..**

**SAM: If we kill them when they are as vulnerable as they are right now, we'd be no better than the Goa'uld. Let's go.**

**_Sam walks away. Daniel begins to, but then turns and begins firing at the tank. They symbiotes are killed. Sam takes her weapon from Daniel._ **

 

The ruins on P3R-077 were extensive. Low structures spread through the shallow valley near the stargate. Many had crumbled over time. The hot wind had blown parched earth over the broken stone, filling cracks and clinging to surfaces. The only signs of life were clumps of stunted grass surviving in the shelter of the rubble. 

Daniel Jackson and Teal’c stood just outside one of the more well-preserved buildings. Daniel was bent over a small clay vessel, examining a delicate frieze ringing the base of the pot. “This is just fantastic! We’ll have to send an archeological team back to do more extensive work. Most of these buildings are just too unstable to enter. We were incredibly lucky to find this!” A wondering grin lit his face as he scrutinized the ancient object.

Teal’c paused in his scan of the horizon. The ghost of a smile touched his face as he allowed himself to enjoy his teammate’s pleasure at the find. “Do you wish to search this dwelling further, Daniel Jackson?” 

The archeologist frowned slightly. “Noooo, it’s not a good idea.” He waved an arm toward the building. “Any real excavation should be done using more cautious methods, otherwise I could end up damaging what I’m trying to preserve.” Daniel carried the vessel over to an open storage container and carefully wrapped it in cotton. “It was just luck that this artifact was only partially buried and so close to the surface. Quite unusual, actually. It may post-date the abandonment of these structures.” He knelt to place it in the container, adding more padding to all sides of the artifact that was so precious to him. 

Daniel continued, “We should head over to that large building in the center of town. It may have been a seat of government or a place of worship. If we're going to find anything important, other than items of archeological significance, it will probably be there. I’ll leave this here and we can pick it up on the way back to the stargate. I don’t want to move it any more than necessary.” He fastened the lid in place and stood. 

“I’ll just check in with Jack before we go.” He thumbed his radio. “Jack? Teal’c and I have finished at one of the houses and are heading over to the largest building.” 

A short burst of static filled the air as Jack’s voice came over the radio, “Are houses really what we should be exploring here, Daniel? Not a lot of Goa’uld-killing stuff in houses.” His role of commander often seemed to involve reining in the academic zeal of SG-1’s archeologist and linguist.

“Well, I don’t actually know it’s a house, Jack. I’m extrapolating from the remains of a well in the central courtyard; it looks like it might have been a well, anyway, and the arrangement of the rooms leading to the…" He paused. "Uh, sorry, Jack. You don’t want to know that. It was the first intact building we found, so we had a look to see what it might have been, and to try and get some idea of the level of civilization that might have existed in the valley.” Gestures accompanied this, regardless of the fact that Jack O’Neill couldn’t see him at all.

“And yet, still too many details. Okay, Daniel, you and Teal’c go on over to your big building. Carter has lots more exciting soil samples for us to gather. Call back in an hour.”

“Will do, Jack. Have fun!” Daniel smiled. The scientists back at the SGC had a wide range of tests they wanted done here, and many samples to be taken. Sam was brilliant, and as meticulous in this as she was in all her research. Jack was probably bored out of his mind. 

“You betcha, Daniel. Tons of fun! About as much fun as Teal’c is having right now.”

Daniel slid his radio back into the pocket of his jacket and turned to his companion. “I’m sorry if you’re as bored as Jack, Teal’c.” He regarded the Jaffa sympathetically.

“I am quite adequately entertained, Daniel Jackson. The insight you express regarding the lives of these people is most illuminating. The Goa’uld do not wish to learn from the lives of those they conquer. They merely steal and enslave.” 

Tealc’s expression became grim as he thought of his time in servitude to Apophis. As First Prime, Teal’c had been responsible for the subjugation, and destruction, of many cultures such as this one. He remained deeply grateful to the Tauri of the SGC for allowing him to join in their fight against the Goa’uld. The Jaffa life span was long, and he had seen much that the rest of SG-1 had not encountered in their short lives. They did not truly understand the magnitude of that which they faced. His mouth set as he renewed his pledge to protect his young teammates and battle their common enemies. 

Daniel was silent as they started toward the central plaza. His thoughts had also turned to the Goa’uld and the destruction they inflicted: on the galaxy, on his adopted planet Abydos, on his wife Sha’re, now host to the Queen of Apophis. Sha’re’s brave and beautiful spirit was subjugated by an evil beyond the imagination of most on Earth. 

Clouds rose from the impact of their boots in the thick dust that covered the cracked paving stones. The ruins that had seemed a welcoming adventure were now a reminder of lives lost and civilizations destroyed. Daniel peered over the top of his glasses at Teal’c. The dust on the lenses had all but rendered them opaque.

“Uh, Teal’c, I’ve been wanting to ask you about something.”

“I will answer any question that you have to the best of my ability, Daniel Jackson.” Teal’c continued to survey the buildings spread in front of them as they moved forward. He was alert, as always, to unforeseen dangers.

“Yes... Yes, I know. I just, um, wasn’t sure… I didn’t want to… Uh…”

Teal’c stopped and turned to the archeologist. His expression was not unkind, but conveying a certain impatience. “Daniel Jackson, I believe that you should ‘spit it out’. Ask me that which you wish to know.”

Daniel marshaled his thoughts. He knew that he would be reminding Teal’c of very painful, too recent events. Not that he thought that Teal’c forgot for a minute, but... He took a deep breath. “When we were on Chulak, I shot that tank of larval Goa’uld.” 

“I remember this from the debriefing which followed the mission.” Teal’c watched his friend. Daniel had removed his glasses and was cleaning them vigorously, shoulders hunched. His eyes were locked on the glasses. “You do not wish to cause me to dwell on my failure to prevent my son’s Prim’ta, but I have not forgotten this. You do me no harm.” 

The Jaffa had wished to spare his son implantation with a Goa’uld symbiote; this was forced on all his people. Events had gone ‘south’, as O’Neill had said. Teal’c did not understand this phrase as he did ‘spit it out’ which had a certain visceral commonality of meaning. 

Daniel went on, “Well, what we didn’t say in the meeting was that Sam didn’t think I should do it.” The words rushed out of him now, uncontrolled. “All I could think about was that every one of those Goa’uld would take a host one day! A host like Sha’re. I… I couldn’t let that happen!” 

The glasses hung loosely in his hands, forgotten, but his unfocused gaze stayed on them. “Sam said that if we killed them when they were vulnerable like that, we would be no better than the Goa’uld. I didn’t care. I really didn’t. I aimed the P-90 at the tank and shot it. And it felt… good, but the look on Sam’s face…” His voice trailed off as he put his glasses back on and looked at Teal’c, his expression unsure.

“The only time a Goa’uld is not vulnerable is when it has taken a host. Would it be better to kill it then?” Teal’c turned back toward the building and resumed their course, knowing that his scrutiny would not aid Daniel Jackson. 

“No! Of course not!” Daniel fell in beside him, looking shocked.

“You knew this and took appropriate action. Your actions were not dishonorable.”

“It didn’t seem wrong. It still doesn’t seem wrong, but the way I felt doing it… And Sam…” He kicked a loose stone off the long abandoned road. It skittered into the low grass.

“You know in your heart if the actions you wish to take are wrong ones, Daniel Jackson. This is not true of all, but I know it to be true of you. Ask yourself if the pleasure that you felt resulted from the act of taking life or from protecting those who might have been hosts. I see no shame in enjoying the death of any Goa'uld, but I am not Tauri. And I do not see these things as you do, Daniel Jackson.” 

Daniel frowned as he considered his response. “I felt…satisfied. Glad that none of them would do what they did… what they do to all the people they take. I guess it wasn’t specifically that I enjoyed killing them. But I’m not sorry they're dead, or that I shot the tank.”

“You took action when it was required. You do not think of yourself as a warrior, Daniel Jackson. You prefer to explore alternatives before engaging in battle, but these are the actions of a true warrior. The greatest battle is one which is won without engaging the enemy.”

Daniel gave Teal’c a questioning look. “Didn’t Sun Tzu say something like that?”

“Indeed.” Teal’c allowed himself a small smile. It pleased him greatly that Daniel Jackson, who thought he was not a warrior and who was able to shoot Captain Carter’s weapon accurately with so little practice, had read the writings of the Tauri General, Sun Tzu. 

“How did you hear about Sun Tzu, Teal’c?”

“These strategies were discussed by SG-3 within my hearing. I found their words most edifying. It is said that we may prevent our enemy from engaging us by placing something strange and unexpected in their path. I believe this to be you, Daniel Jackson.”

“Uh, thanks, Teal’c. I think."

Daniel felt somewhat chagrined that he had not considered how much Teal’c would relate to the teachings of Sun Tzu. His reading had progressed rapidly. ‘The Art of War’ would not be too advanced for long. He would have to pick up a new copy; his was in the original Mandarin. 

A wall of a collapsed structure partially blocked their path. Teal’c and Daniel scrambled around the debris and continued toward the center of the ruined town. Their goal was now visible, at the end of what had once been a major thoroughfare. The sun was rising in the sky and the heat of the day had become more oppressive. They halted in the shade of one of the few sturdy walls to drink from their canteens; the warm water tasted more delicious than the purest spring water on Earth.

Daniel savored the moment of communion with Teal’c. The Jaffa was rarely this… loquacious. And Daniel didn’t always take actions of which he approved of so whole heartedly. He screwed the lid on his canteen and found what was bothering most seriously.

“Sam is a soldier; a good soldier. She was certain I was wrong. And the Jaffa need the symbiotes to survive.” Sam’s disapproval made him uneasy. He didn’t think that killing the larval Goa’uld would have bothered him much, maybe not at all, if she hadn’t been so openly disapproving. He had hesitated to trust his instincts; and hesitated because of the needs of the Jaffa of Chulak. If part of him had questioned the killing for other reasons, that part was easily silenced by the thought of Sha're.

The look in Sam's eyes had been hard to define; concerned, regretful…disillusioned. She had taken the weapon from him carefully, like she was removing it from dangerous hands; the wrong hands. Then she’d turned away to lead them, her blond hair hiding her eyes. By the time they had faced each other again, events were moving rapidly. His actions, as well as her response, had seemed moot. 

“One day my people will be free, but until that day comes, they serve the Goa’uld. Our first consideration must be the defeat of the false gods and their forces. When the time is right, we will convince my brothers and sisters to join us in this struggle, but that time is not now.” Teal’c believed this unwaveringly. It allowed him to battle the warriors he had previously commanded. He took another long drink from his canteen, replaced the cap, and swung it behind him as they went forward.

Teal’c gave the archeologist a serious look, “I cannot speak for Captain Carter, but in this instance, I believe that she was mistaken. She is a highly trained warrior of the Tauri. Perhaps it is this fact that led to her mistake. A trained soldier of your people avoids the slaughter of innocents. It may be that Captain Carter has not fully adapted her thinking to the battle you now face. This will change, if it is so. The Goa’uld are never innocent, Daniel Jackson. O’Neill understands this. In the future, the choice which you were forced to make may be hers. I have great confidence that, if so, she will make the correct decision also.”

They reached the central building, the roof rising high above the lesser structures. It had been placed in the center of a huge square and was generally intact, although some of the walls showed signs of decay. At the front of the building was a thick wooden door, still preserved by the exceptionally dry climate. Daniel pushed open the door, releasing the cool air within.

As Daniel stood in the doorway, inspecting the interior for safety, he considered his teammate’s reasoning. It made sense. Maybe… If Sam was disappointed in him now, maybe she would understand, well, sometime.

The relief in his demeanor was noticeable as he turned from the entrance. “Thanks, Teal’c. That...really helps. I needed a different perspective.” He adjusted his glasses and gave an open smile.

Teal’c inclined his head and returned the smile in his restrained Jaffa way. “It pleases me greatly to assist you, Daniel Jackson. May we enter this structure safely?”

“This first room, anyway. We'll check the rest as we go.” He began to examine the exterior. “Teal'c, look at the decorative relief along the upper part of the walls! It’s clearly from a different stage of cultural development than the pot we found earlier, but they share common motifs.” Daniel gestured at the intricate carvings, his attention now fully engaged in the task at hand, his enthusiasm restored. He pulled out his video recorder and began to document the ornamentation.

The warrior regarded the scene with satisfaction. Daniel Jackson appeared to have regained confidence in his judgment, which had truly been shaken. He felt pride that he had been able to aid this generous man who had given him so much. 

Teal'c stepped forward to join Daniel. “Let us see what we may learn.”


End file.
